Hoop Time

This last week we had less scheduled activities since things are taking a break for the holidays.  We decided to take advantage of the extra time and attend some Mizzou basketball games.  The kids have been wanting to go and this was the perfect chance.  On Monday we went and watched the girls play.  They were 8-0 at the time and won again the night we went.  They are very enthusiastic and fun to watch!  Sam also took advantage of our close seats to catch a basketball thrown into the crowd.  It was a fun night and I think we will definitely have to watch some more games this season.  

One the men's basketball assistant coaches lives in our neighborhood.  Sometimes they will have extra tickets to games.  We definitely couldn't pass up tickets in the third row.  It was a different perspective sitting that close to the floor and the players bench. The tall players made it a little difficult for Ella to see but we had a great time!  The kids enjoyed the game which was a victory and playing with our host's daughter.  

The kids at the women's game.

Right behind the Mizzou bench!

Court side!!

Family Rivalry

The Friday after Thanksgiving we headed down to Fayetteville, Arkansas in the rain.  It rained our whole drive there and never stopped the whole visit.  We met the Lowes at Hannah's dorm room and got on all our rain gear to watch our Tigers take on the Razorbacks.  We enjoyed visiting another stadium and rooting for our team despite the fact that our team did not do very well.  Hannah and Sarah definitely had some bragging to do for this round of the rivalry.  Since we were losing and soaking wet we decided at half time that we would leave the stadium and check into our hotel for the evening. 

The kids were super excited to stay at an Embassy Suites with the Lowes.  They had never stayed at an Embassy before and thought it was pretty great! They loved that our room had two separate rooms, the hotel's open atrium, snacks in the evening and of course the breakfast buffet.   We headed to the pool after a short rest and then for some snacks. Later, we got ready and all went to dinner at Chuy's,  then for some ice-cream and after eating too much everyone headed back to our room to tell stories and laugh.  It was a great evening of some much needed family time.

Welcome Guests

We were super excited to host the Pogemillers on their visit to Columbia.  It had been a while since we had seen them and it was so nice to catch up on everything.  Their kids are growing like crazy and it was fun for my kids to be the big kids and dig out some old toys and games that had been tucked away for a few years.  
They came Friday afternoon and we had some time for the adults to talk while the kids played in the basement.  We decided to all have dinner at CJ's (Sam thinks it is a must when anyone visits Columbia).  After dinner, the Swoffords came over for a bit to visit too. It was so nice to have the house full of people laughing and talking.  
Saturday was the Missouri v Tennessee football game.  The weather was not what any of us had hoped.  Ellen and Mark decided the temperature would be too cold for their kids to go so they took them to stay with Mark's sister.  I knew Ella wouldn't like the weather either so when her friend Jessie invited her for a sleepover it was perfect.  Sam and I braved the chilly night and Mark and Ellen sat with us in our empty seats.  We enjoyed the company but the performance of our Tigers and the weather had us all leaving before the game ended.  It was so nice to catch up though and I hope they get to make it back to Columbia soon.  

Volley Zou!

Ella is taking volleyball lessons with a few of the Mizzou volleyball players after school this year.  Sam did this when he was in fourth and fifth grade and really enjoyed it.  Ella is enjoying it too, although she says her arms hurt at the end of the hour.  Last Friday night the volleyball team had their youth night.  The kids that participate all go and get volleyball t-shirts, get to walk in a parade on the court in-between the second and third sets and they get autographs from all the Mizzou players after the game.  
John decided to stay home and Sam was going to a haunted house with one of his friends so it was a girls night for Ella and me.  Ella chose to start the night with dinner at Cheddar's.  After dinner we headed to the match.  She sat with me for the first set then wanted to go and sit with her friend Emma.  They had a fun time watching, cheering, and especially walking in the parade.  They found Jocelyn during the parade and she came and sat with them in the first row for the third set.  They had a great time as one of the cheerleaders taught them the cheer for "Point Mizzou" that they do each time Mizzou scores a point.  She would come over to the girls each time and do the cheer with them.  They thought that was pretty special.  The had a good time and I enjoyed watching Mizzou win 3-1.  We had not been to a volleyball match all season and it was something we should do more often because they are exciting to watch.  

Let's March

Homecoming game day at Mizzou always begins with the Homecoming Parade. It is a huge event with over one hundred entries and thousands of people lining the streets to get a look at the bands, floats and other attractions.  This year Ella's soccer club decided to walk in the parade.  She was so excited to get to be a part of the event.  She walked next to her friends Harper and Jocelyn and they handed out candy to spectators along the way.  I asked her when she was done if she liked it and she asked, "Is it over already?"  Sam and I watched the parade with his friend Jacob and his family.  It was fun to watch all the excitement and cheer along for Mizzou!
Then it was back home to rest before the football game that evening.  John was not feeling well and decided he was going to sit this game out and after the Tigers performance the week before no one could blame him.  Ella decided that she wanted to skip the game too, so it was just Sam and I headed back into town.  We briefly visited the Swoffords' tailgate to say hello and have a few snacks then it was game time.  The call by John and Ella was definitely the right one because the Tigers' offense was miserable.  It was a rough game to watch but we cheered anyway and stayed for most of the game. Let's hope Homecoming next year has a happier ending.  

They loved the huge wheels of the tractor pulling this float. 

Sam's favorite float complete with Slugger! 

Game Time! 

The wiener mobile was at the parade. 

The girls from Ella's team that walked in the parade. 

Heading down the street, midway through the parade. 

Ella and her friend Jocelyn. 

Watching the Big Girls Play

Ella's soccer club had a special night at one of the Mizzou women's soccer games.  The under twelve girls got to be ball girls for the game and the under 14 girls got to scrimmage  on the field at half time.  Ella's team just loved hanging out together in the stands.  I think there was more talking and snacking then actually watching the soccer but the girls had a good time.  They were really excited to watch the under fourteen girls scrimmage and lined the fence to cheer for them.  They see these girls every week because they practice at the same time as them.  The Mizzou game was an exciting one and our Tigers came away with a victory.  

Stadium Saturdays

Football season is back and we have had two home games already this year.  Mizzou looks to be off to a slow start, especially the offense, but they have managed to win their first three games.  Our first home game was extremely hot!  We decided to skip the tailgate and only made it to halftime of the game.  We weren't playing well and were all sweating so we decided we could watch the second half from the comfort of our couches.  
The second game was a morning game and there was no motivation for getting up early to tailgate so we arrived at game time.  The weather was much better.  It was still warm but definitely tolerable and we stayed for the whole game.  They did a special tribute to the Golden Girls for their fifty year anniversary at halftime that Ella was more excited about that than the game.  Many of the old Golden Girls returned and Ella's tap teacher and her Golden Girl leader from Jr. Golden Girls returned for the event.  We all had a good day we just hope the Tigers can mount more offense before we get to the tougher games on our schedule.  

SEC Victory!

 

 

The Tigers didn't really have a season that gave us much to cheer about this year.  These pictures though are from one of our rare SEC victories.  Sam really gets into the games and cheers on his Tigers with lots of enthusiasm.  Ella still isn't much of a game watcher but she enjoys watching the people and of course The Golden Girls.  Let's hope next year we can watch a few more victories.  

 

 

A New Rivalry Begins

Now that Missouri and Kansas aren't in the same conference, and Kansas won't put Missouri on their schedule,  Mizzou needed a new rival.  The SEC has made Arkansas our rival.  I thought getting away from the Kansas rivalry would take away my family rooting for the opposition.  But, now Hannah is at Arkansas and the sports rivalry has switched to the other side of the family. 

Dana, Hannah and Sarah came up the night of Thanksgiving to spend the weekend and for Hannah and Dana to attend the Missouri v Arkansas game on Friday.  Sarah recently had surgery on her knee and was still on crutches so she and Ella stayed home for the day.  Ella isn't a big fan of long football Saturdays so she was happy to stay home with Sarah.  They watched movies, hung out and Sarah even taught her to crochet.  

The rest of us headed to tailgate then to the big game.  The stadium was full and it felt a bit like a rivalry atmosphere.  Not quite to the Kansas stage yet, but I think it will get there.  Arkansas got off to a great start and Hannah was giving Sam some trouble.  Luckily in the end Mizzou came back and Sam could pass all the trash talk back to Hannah.  It was a fun game and meant Mizzou was the back to back SEC East Champion.  

The students all rushed the field after we won to celebrate being SEC East Champions! 

Hoops Has Arrived

While the Missouri Tiger football team has guaranteed itself a share in the SEC East title and is still playing to try to make it to the championships in Atlanta, the basketball team has started their season.  It will definitely be a rebuilding year for Mizzou with a new coach and a team with a lot of freshman.  We are still excited though because we are definitely playing with more enthusiasm and better defense.  It will be fun to watch them improve on the court and who knows maybe we will be able to get a few good wins at the end of the season.  
We purchased two season tickets again this year and Sam hates to miss a game.  Sam and I  went to the first game and we all went to the game last weekend buying a few tickets in the upper section knowing there would be space in our section for us to all sit together.  It is a fun way to spend a few hours and root on our Tigers! 

Get Your Sparkle On!

Ella participated in Junior Golden Girl Camp this year.  She met with the Mizzou Golden Girls every Tuesday afternoon in October for an hour.  They learned a dance, some Golden Girl moves to Mizzou songs, and played some games.  Each Golden Girl had two or three young girls that they helped.  When the month was over they got to perform the dance they had learned before a Missouri Women's Basketball game at The Hearnes Center.  Ella was a bit nervous but she did a great job.  She is already asking if she can participate again next year! 

Ella with her big GG! 

Ella practicing her kicks!

Practicing the dance routine to "Get Your Sparkle On"

Hurray for House Dec's!

The kids still love going to the house decorations on Homecoming Eve.  After missing some last year with the MU basketball game we decided to be there from the very beginning.  We saw some great decorations this year and some cute skits.  Ella got her face painted and went down slides and the kids got candy and even magic wands.  It is a fun way to spend an evening and give lots of MIZ cheers! 

In front of a lion that actually moved at House Dec's! 

Being silly with their new magic wands.

Now, the picture Mom wanted. 

One of the House Decorations. 

Two Losses in a Row

Two Saturdays this last month we decked out in our best black and gold to cheer on the Tigers to victory.  Unfortunately, things did not work out as we had hoped.  The Tigers have suffered two bad losses at home.  Let's hope they get things turned around before our homecoming game this weekend.  

Kicking off a New Season

Tiger football started this last Saturday.  It was, as usual, a very warm home opener.  We had a fun tailgate with our normal tailgate crew.  We enjoyed some delicious cold, fried chicken which has become our first game tradition.  When we got to the stands though it was very hot.  All those bodies crammed in and the sun beating down made for a warm afternoon.  We didn't even make it past halftime of the game.  John wasn't feeling well, Ella and I were sweating like crazy and Sam was the only one upset about leaving.  We came home though quickly with no traffic and were able to listen to the third quarter on the radio catch the last quarter on television.  We came away with a victory but there is a lot of work to do before we play tougher opponents.